Trading processes across Australia’s food supply chain may be contributing to food loss and waste, according to a new national study by Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
The project examined how supply chain dynamics – including contracting, data transparency, and overproduction – cause food waste outcomes.
The report was led by QUT associate professor Bree Hurst in collaboration with the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre. It found that market imbalances, lack of transparency, and limitations in regulatory codes are systemic issues contributing to food waste.
“These are everyday practices that have become normalised in our food system but they’re quietly fuelling waste at a massive scale,” said Hurst.
“While these practices operate within the current legal framework, they are inefficient. And they’re contributing to a system where food is grown, harvested and then discarded – not because it’s inedible, but because of how business is done.”
The research includes recommendations that could be extended across the broader food industry and calls for both industry and government action:
- General and specific bans on unfair trading practices in the food supply chain.
- Mandatory improvements to industry codes.
- Better data transparency.
According to the National Food Waste Strategy Feasibility Study, following these recommendations could reduce Australia’s total food waste by 470,000 tonnes over 10 years.
“By developing an understanding of how and why trading practices are impacting food loss and waste, and identifying who has the power to affect change, we hope to help mitigate their impact,” Hurst added.
Other members of the QUT project team include Hope Johnson, Rowena Maguire, Jessica Thiel, and Hannah Churton.